Gent at fever pitch as Zenit call
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Article summary
"This is what you do it for," said Gent coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck with his side "full of confidence" as they seek a win against formidable Zenit to take their place in the round of 16.
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Article body
- Debutants Gent will reach last 16 if they win or Valencia fail to beat Lyon
- "We are full of confidence," says coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck
- Belgian champions have won last two UEFA Champions League matches
- Group H victors Zenit can become only seventh team to record maximum group points
- Hulk, who has three goals and four assists to his name in the competition, is rested
Possible lineups
Gent: Sels; Asare, Mitrović, Nielsen; Neto, Kums; Saief, Dejaegere, Milicevic, Foket; Depoitre.
Out: Gershon (knee), Matton (foot), Pedersen (ankle)
Doubtful: Milicevic (ankle), Dejaegere (hamstring), Nielsen (hamstring)
Zenit: Lodygin; Anyukov, Garay, Lombaerts, Criscito; Yusupov, Javi García, Ryazantsev, Shatov, Danny; Dzyuba.
Out: Fayzulin (knee), Hulk (rested), Smolnikov (adduсtor), Witsel (suspended)
Doubtful: none
Hein Vanhaezebrouck, Gent coach
We are full of confidence and will do everything we can to grab the three points and qualification for the round of 16. We always try to take it a step further – you have never reached your limit – but I will be satisfied if my players bring what they have brought to their previous UEFA Champions League matches.
I would have loved to be able to play in these kind of fixtures every week. This is what you do it for.
André Villas-Boas, Zenit coach
Zenit are well-placed to make history as only the sixth club [Real Madrid have done it twice] in history to win six games; that would be an amazing achievement. But we do not want to risk the dream of achieving even more, which is getting to the quarter-finals.
We will still put out a very strong team, out of respect for what is happening elsewhere in the group and for the chance of making history.
Weekend results
Gent 2-2 Zulte Waregem (Kums 39pen, Simon 90+4; Lepoint 22, De Ridder 50)
Gent avoided a second Belgian First League defeat of the season thanks to a last-gasp Moses Simon goal against a visiting side reduced to ten men by Abdou Diallo's red card on the hour.
Zenit 1-1 Ufa (Garay 86pen; Zinchenko 36)
Villas-Boas's team enter the Russian Premier League's three-month winter break seven points off pacesetters CSKA after a penalty four minutes from time rescued a point. Ezequiel Garay converted five minutes after Axel Witsel had failed from the spot.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Gent: DWWWLW
Zenit: DLWWLW
Did you know?
Gent are bidding to become the first Belgian club to get to the last 16 since Anderlecht in 2000/01, and the first to win three successive group matches since Anderlecht that year; find out more in our match background.
